Hanglos recently had the opportunity to arrange a quick interview with French snowkiting legend Guillaume Chastagnol (Ozone, Red Bull). For over a decade now Guillaume as been at the forefront of the sport. So as the Snow Kite Master starts in the Lautaret Pass next week and that Europe is hit by wintry weather (Lots of snow ) we thought it would be time to start talking about snowking...

You have been one of the best snowkiter in the world for a decade now. Freestyle, Crosscountry… Somehow we never saw you doing long distance run or even developing speed. Any reason?
Long Distance! Well I do so many kilometres in a day between walking to the spot, riding up and down the hill that it is the last thing you want to do. If you are not following me, you can not realise all the thing that happen to get those shinny pictures in the magazines. Regarding speed, I think that we should get to grip with it as we could go really fast using our kites going down the hill. After being high up in the mountain is something quite dangerous and there would be much more risk to manage.



You spend half of the year in the French Alps and the other in Tahiti kitesurfing. How does the transition between the snow and the water happens? Does kitesurfing helps you to develop your style on the snow?
The transition between both surface is natural to be honest when you come from France to Polynesia. However, I do not think that kitesurfing gave me anything snowkitewise! I am coming from the mountains and what I can do up there with my kite, well, I will just never do it in the water especially when it comes to flying as all the parameters are different.

We have seen a few videos and pictures of you surfing nice waves over the last few months. Are you planning to start competing on waveriding events or is it just a past time whislt waiting for the snow?
Oh my god! No way. Everybody does its own bit to develop kiting. Regarding me I am doing my bits for the snowkite and that is it. I am lucky enough to be able to surf nice waves and to bring my snowboarding touch with me but that’s as far as it goes. It is just a way for me to keep in shape before the beginning of the winter season and have fun.



The wakestyle movement is getting bigger as we talk. As a snowboarder you are “stuck” to your board with your bindings like wakeboarders would. We have seen you freestyling on butter flat water, riding nice waves and so on. However, we have not seen you riding with bindings. Is there any reason why?
Well, actually, 10 years ago I use to be sponsored by F-One and when I started kitesurfing Raph (F-One Big Boss) made me test all the wake prototype he was working on. As a snowboarder, this was perfect. But to be honest for the spot I ride, bindings are just not for me and too dangerous in those conditions. After all I also like to throw a huge one footer for the tourist and when you hear the yelling, it is just great!

In 2007, Ozone launched your first pro model kite, the Manta. Four years on, what is the difference between the first model and the 010 one?
For three years, there was not that many evolutions apart from the bar and the bridles. This year however, Rob has worked on new wing profiles and found a few thing that make the kite just more friendly, reactive and make it fly longer! I was very impressed with the last test we did in New Zealand and sometime I could stay in the air much longer than I expected.

You can read people writing on online kiting forum that cells foil kite are not as good as tube kite. What would you say to those people?
Well, to be quick, Just learn how to fly those kites! As simple as. For snowkiting this is the must because its easy to set up, to launch to land and safe more than anything else. After you can fly a tube kite if you really want but do not be pissed off if a bladder blows up at the beginning of your session. Finally tube kites are somehow useful if you leave on a island with small beaches like I do.



In 2010, Ozone launches the C4, the brand first C kite. Have you been involved in the development of the kite?
Simply not. As long as it fly, its fine with me!

A few riders in the Lautaret Pass including yourself score impressive air time with your kites as if you were under a paraglider. What is the limit in your opinion?
Firstly, I learnt flying by necessity. When you kite up a hill, the wind direction changes due to the angle of the hill. When the incline of a hill is 35/40° if something wrong like an avalanche, meet a rock bar or a canyon you can end up 30 meters up in the air before you know it, so it is just essential to know how to fly. By the way for all of the hanglos readers out there, do not try this at home as this is much harder than it looks, and the price of a mistake is really expensive and mother nature will be more than happy to charge you for it!



You have been organising snowkitings events for a few years now such as the Snow Kite Master and the Chasta Days. Those events are getting more popular every year. Since 2006 the Coronna Winter Tour is no more unfortunately. Have you ever thought about organising your own world tour?
No way. I do not want any competitions in my events. Sadly, for the SKM we have been ripped off! If you want tp make cash, then you need a podium to get media coverage and sponsors! If you want to develop snowkiting, then competion is the last thing we need.

As a former professional snowboarder (Guillaume Chastagnol did 3rd in the Nagano Olympics ), Do you think that competing helped you to win the Coronna Winter tour for three years in a row?
Of course, this helped me a lot, especially for the grabs, rotations which I was already use to. After managing the stress of the hits as a top snowboarder helped me a lot on the Coronna Winter tour too!



You are involved in the development of snowkiting products at Ozone. How the development does take place? How many prototypes are required before a kite is ready to hit the production line?
It depends, up to thirty prototypes sometimes. Robby is so passionate and has so many ideas that we have to try everything.

Since 2008, Ozone snowkites front line have a Y set up. What is the main advantage of this connection type? Is there such a by difference with a classic 4 line set up?
Yeah, people think it’s less messy and that they get less knots than with 4 lines. lol

Landboarding is a big market in the UK and Northen Europe in general. Is this something you are into?
Of course. I like to fly my kite whether it is on snow, sand, land, water! It just depends on where I am really. The Lautaret Pass is actually a great spot for kite buggying during the spring.



Is there a place in particular, where you would like to go snowkinting?
Alaska to be honest. I had the chance to do the best heli skiing there when realising snowboarding miovies with Mike Hatchett (famous snowboarding movie maker) years ago.

A few years ago there was a cool picture of you snowkiting in the USA in a huge field with your daughter in a bag pack. So the question is, when do you think that kids can start snowking with a little power kite like the Ozone Imp for example?
Well in the Alps you start skiing when you are 5 so I would say the same for snowkiting! (Check out this video)



Any special project for 2010?
Well I hope that there will be a lot of snow so that we can have a great time with Titaua and Kailea.

Tahiti! When and where would your recommend Hanglos readers to go there? Any particular places to go to, places to visit, hotels, kiting spots you would advise us?
Well I think that the best time to go there is June to October, even November if you are lucky. It is the best time of the year for the trade wind, the waves and the mosquitoes of course. Moorea,Tamatoa, or with me on Huahine. Those are the island to go to.
Snowkite for ever….

To follow Guillaume Chastagnol, visit www.chata.info or go on www.flyozone.com to learn more about his kites.